Road rage

Via Dustbury, a great highway sign.

Lower forever

Are you enjoying gas prices around $2/gallon?
Remember when Democrats didn't think that would ever happen?
The Energy Information Administration projects that, next year, U.S. oil production will average almost 10 billion barrels a day, which would beat the previous record of 9.6 billion in 1970. What's more, a quarter of this production is coming from one oil field: the Permian Basin in West Texas.
Those "obscene" industry profits? They've fallen as well. ExxonMobil's (XOM) revenue in 2016 was about half what it was in 2011. In its most recent quarter, the company earned $3.4 billion — or 78 cents share. In the same quarter in 2011 it earned $10.7 billion, or $2.18 a share.

Saturday song

Kansas haunts the airwaves with Dust in the Wind.

Facebook quote of the week

I'm pretty sure united is fitting people into the overhead on this flight.

Weekend watchdog

With July 31 looming, the major league baseball deadline for non-waiver trades has everybody thinking of the postseason.
Washington hosts a pair of teams aiming for October baseball this weekend as the Nationals host the Rockies on MASN.
The Nationals have a big lead in the NL East, while Colorado battles Arizona for the two wild card spots - several games ahead of the defending champion Cubs.
The Orioles visit Texas for the weekend on MASN2.
FoxSports1 has the Dodgers against the Giants Saturday at 4 p.m., followed by the Marlins meeting the Reds. The Cubs take on the Brewers Sunday at 2 p.m. on TBS, with the Dodgers facing the Giants on ESPN Sunday at 8 p.m.
NASCAR's Monster Cup Series heads to Pocono for the weekend, with coverage Sunday at 3 p.m. on NBC Sports network. The Xfinity Series will be in Iowa Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on NBC and the Truck Series goes Saturday at 1 p.m. on Fox.
NBC Sports network carries the Hungarian Grand Prix Sunday at 7:30 a.m. There's qualifying Saturday at 8 a.m. after practice Friday at 8 a.m.
North of the border, the PGA Tour's Canadian Open will be on CBS Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m.
British Columbia clashes with Edmonton Friday at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN2.
Baltimore battles Philadelphia in the Arena Football League Saturday at 1 p.m. on Comcast.
It's Real Madrid-Barcelona in the International Champions Cup Saturday at 7:55 p.m., while ESPN2 has Chelsea's clash with Internazionale at 7:30 a.m. and Manchester City taking on Tottenham Hotspur at 6 p.m. Roma faces Juventus Sunday at 4 p.m. on ESPN.
Atlanta takes on Orlando City on Fox Saturday at 5 p.m. The Galaxy goes against Seattle Saturday at 10 p.m. on ESPN and it's Toronto-New York City Sunday at 4 p.m.
FoxSports1 carries the U.S. Girls Junior Championship Saturday at 2 p.m. The semifinals are Friday at 3 p.m.
The Mystics host Connecticut in WNBA play Friday at 7 p.m. on Comcast.
The road to the U.S. Open starts with the Atlanta Open on ESPN2 Sunday at 5 p.m.
The World Aquatics Championships continues on NBC Sports network Thursday at 11:30 a.m., with more action Friday at 11:30 a.m.

Another Meh movie

This weekend, moviegoers have a choice.
They can watch "The Emoji Movie," starring Meh.
Or say "Meh" to another Al Gore environmental disaster movie.

Gore is a smug man, and he perhaps reaches peak smugness in the new film when he is seen telling an audience: “Ten years ago [now eleven], when the movie An Inconvenient Truth came out, the single most criticized scene was an animated scene showing that the combination of sea-level rise and storm surge would put the ocean water into the 9/11 memorial site, which was then under construction. And people said, ‘That’s ridiculous. What a terrible exaggeration.’” Smash cut to: Hurricane Sandy, and the flooding of downtown Manhattan and the World Trade Center area, in October of 2012. If Gore had a sense of humor, he would play a sample of Nelson Muntz’s iconic “HAW-ha” from The Simpsons. 

Except Gore is here misleading us about his own earlier prediction. In An Inconvenient Truth Gore didn’t say anything about lower Manhattan getting inundated because of a passing storm. He showed the tip of the island disappearing underwater because of melting ice in the North Atlantic, not because a hurricane happened to strike the area at high tide and during a full moon. There’s a fairly critical distinction between the two scenarios: One is permanent. Lower Manhattan may someday be uninhabitable by anyone who doesn’t have gills, but it’s silly for Gore to claim this happened five years ago.At least there's baseball and Big Bang Theory.

The real collusion

Want to hear about a real threat to our national security involving foreigners and technology?
How about the Democratic IT staffer trying to leave the country under questionable circumstances?
So let's digest this story. In a media environment obsessed with the DNC hack, it turns out five individuals were abusing their access to the DNC email system while -- possibly -- committing an assortment of crimes.
* Imran Awan's wife (herself one of the IT 5) already fled to Pakistan, carrying $12,000 in cash with her.
* Imran Awan man himself wired $280,000 to Pakistan, then attempted to flee there.
Read the whole thing, at a site that really cares about the country.

They must be crazy

Althouse lets her commenters loose on the idea that psychiatrists can give their professional opinion on President Trump.
Let them speak, and then the rest of us will speak about whether they are professionals deserving of deference or human beings like the rest of us who can't keep our political preferences from skewing whatever it is we might think about some pressing issue of the day.
And her readers oblige.
The percentage of hacks, cranks and fools in the mental health "profession" is stunningly high. And many of them are in a position to make individual lives worse.

Rock the Senate

An interesting first poll from Michigan - Kid Rock leading incumbent senator Debbie Stabenow.
Lots of undecideds in this poll.
Lots of proof the Trump effect will be alive and well in 2018.

How's he doing?

DaTech Guy and his writers look at the Trump presidency at the six-month mark.
The good news is I trust President Trump to be smart enough to adapt and will recognize these problems and act.  The bad news is I can’t say the same for the GOP caucus.

The media's problem

The media dislikes President Trump.
But is their dislike causing them more trouble than it's causing Trump?
Everything they do, they do as a herd – even when it’s running headlong over a cliff.
Then he compares Trump to comedic icon Rodney Dangerfield.
It’s about legitimacy, of course, and what’s left of the respectable press is utterly captivated by the theme. It completely defines their war on Trump, for example. They know what a politician is supposed to look like and act like and sound like; they know that Trump does not conform to those rules; and they react to him as a kind of foreign object jammed rudely into their creamy world, a Rodney Dangerfield defiling the fancy country club.
Dangerfield got no respect, and playing that game got him a long career.

Saturday song

Toto sings about Roseanna, not Roseann Roseannadanna.

Facebook quote of the week

97, feels like 113. That's a lie! I'd say it 117, feels like 235.

Weekend watchdog

The best golfers in the world have gathered across the pond in search of the Claret Jug.
NBC has coverage of the third round starting at 7 a.m. Saturday, with the final round Sunday at 7 a.m.
The Golf Channel has coverage of the second round Friday morning, and early coverage Saturday and Sunday starting at 1:30 a.m.
Royal Birkdale hosts the tournament for the first time since 2008, when Padraig Harrington won his second Open title.
FoxSports1 carries the United States Junior Amateur, with finals Saturday at 2 p.m. There's semifinal action Friday at 3 p.m.
The Orioles host the Astros on MASN for the weekend. TBS also carries Sunday afternoon's contest.
The Nationals visit Arizona for the weekend on MASN2.
The Cubs host the Cardinals Saturday at 4 p.m. on FoxSports1 and Sunday night on ESPN. FoxSports1 also has Rangers-Rays Saturday at 7 p.m.
NASCAR has its big weekend at Indianapolis, with the Brickyard 400 on NBC Sunday at 2:30 p.m. The Xfinity Series goes Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on NBC Sports network.
The Tour de France arrives in Paris for the final stage Sunday at 10:30 a.m. on NBC Sports network. Friday and Saturday stages start at 8 a.m.
FoxSports1 has a Gold Cup semifinal Sunday at 9 p.m.
Juventus takes on Barcelona in the International Champions Cup Saturday at 6 p.m. on ESPN and it's Paris Saint Germain against Tottenham Hotspur Saturday at 8 p.m. on ESPN2.
Orlando City faces Atlanta United Friday at 7 p.m. on ESPN and Minnesota United meets the Red Bulls Saturday at 4 p.m. FoxSports1 brings Vancouver-Portland Sunday at 6:30 p.m.
The best of the WNBA gather for the all-star game Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on ABC.
Comcast offers World Team Tennis play between Springfield and San Diego Friday at 8 p.m.
The Diamond League track and field competes in Monaco Friday at 2 p.m. on NBC Sports network.

Memories of O.J.

O.J. Simpson returned to the news today, a big story like he was in 1994-95.
We all remember the Bronco chase, the trail, the verdict and the years of his vain search for the real killer (which he saw in the mirror every day).
I still remember a few days before the media storm broke.
I had just returned from vacation, and had three pages to fill with sports news at the Bluefield Daily Telegraph.
In a time when there wasn't much local competition going on.
I struggled to find AP wire stories and I got down to one small corner at the bottom of the third page.
The story of O.J. Simpson's wife being killed in L.A. filled that final spot for that Tuesday morning edition.
A few days later, O.J. took over the front pages.

Failing grade

Via Althouse, the story of a college professor who decided to grade his ex's apology letter.
He's accused of cyberbullying her for posting the letter — marked up with mock pedantic comments — that she left on the windshield of his truck after he'd blocked her on his phone and on social media. He didn't reveal her name or any other information about her. He didn't threaten her. He just put up her words on a document that she'd given to him and his own humorously distanced commentary.

Dealmaking in a land of no compromise

The travails of the House and Senate dealing with Obamacare show the weakness in President Trump's way of governing.
You can't make deal with people who won't compromise.
Democrats won't compromise - Obamacare's good ideas are ours and problems due to Republicans.
Republicans won't compromise - at least enough won't to prevent a deal.
Why?
For both sides, no compromise benefits them.
Trumps used to deals where both sides benefit from getting a deal done.
Democrats think they'll benefit if they don't deal with Trump on anything.
Thus stalemate.
That costs all of us.

Song for the week

The Trump administration wants us to talk about "Made in America" this week.
The Oak Ridge Boys tried a few years ago.

Wait til next year

The Baltimore Orioles just finished a terrible weekend series, basically dooming their chances to make the postseason.
I tried to encourage my family.
I said each Sunday, why don't you buy a dozen crabs for each time the Orioles lost during the week.
They didn't think they could afford that many crabs.

Facebook quote of the week

It was a perfect summer day to take a day trip to one of our favorite towns: Harper's Ferry, WV. (The yard work can wait.)

Saturday song

Bruce Hornsby tells us that's the way it is.

The B-I-B-L-E, yes, that's the book for me

DaTechGuy visits the Vatican's website and makes a surprising finding.
The link to the Bible had been taken down.

The Holy Bible is available in almost every language on earth: the Episcopal Conferences take care of the continuous updating of the translations. In order to have access to the latest Bible version, kindly consult the website of your Episcopal Conference. 

Yes, the Bible is everywhere.

Can't the Vatican webmaster spend a few minutes a week to make sure the Bible link takes visitors to the right place?

 

Weekend watchdog

There's a Williams sister in the women's finals.
No surprise.
There's an American man in the semifinals.
A surprise.
Venus Williams vies for the championship Saturday at 9 a.m. on ESPN. It's the 14th time in 17 years that a Williams sister has reached the final, but the first trip for Venus since 2009.
On the men's side, Sam Querry ousted top-ranked Andy Murray Wednesday to advance to Friday's semifinals. ESPN has coverage starting at 8 a.m. with the final Sunday at 9 a.m.
The Orioles start the second half by hosting the Cubs on MASN this weekend, while the Nationals visit Cincinnati on MASN2.
The Yankees and Red Sox get plenty of coverage, with Saturday afternoon's game on FoxSports1 before the Sunday day/night doubleheader splits between TBS and ESPN. The Rangers meet the Royals Saturday at 7:15 p.m. on FoxSports1.
NASCAR visits New Hampshire this weekend, with the Monster Series on NBC Sports network Sunday at 3 p.m. The Xfinity Series takes the track Saturday at 4 p.m.
CBS has the PGA tour's John Deere Classic Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m.
Fox carries the U.S. Women's Open Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. FoxSports1 has the second round Friday at 2 p.m.
Stage 13 of the Tour de France starts Friday at 8:30 a.m. on NBC Sports network. The race continues Saturday at 8 a.m. and Sunday at 7:30 p.m.
ESPN2 has NBA Summer League games Saturday at 4 p.m. and two games Sunday at 6 and 8 p.m.
The Galaxy face Manchester United in an international friendly Saturday at 10 p.m. on ESPN2.
The Gold Cup continues as Costa Rica clashes with French Guiana Friday at 7:30 p.m. before Canada takes on Honduras. Mexico meets Curacao Sunday at 8:30 p.m. on FoxSports1.
There's X Games action from Minneapolis Thursday and Friday at 9 p.m. on ESPN. Coverage continues Saturday at 3 and 7 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m.

Future pissed away

Via Instapundit, the travails of the failing Epicopalian Church.

Somehow slipping out of the headlines is a harsh reality that the denomination has been deserted in droves by an angry or ambivalent membership. Six prominent bishops are ready to take their large dioceses out of the American church and align with conservative Anglican groups in Africa and South America.

If you want an inclusive church, join one that includes churches in Africa and South America.

Not one that thinking inclusive is picking up any group that clashes with years of Christian doctrine.

Complain, shout, repeat

Another day on the Trump trauma wagon.
His opponents only see the worst.
His supporters want him to continue making America great again.

Trumped up charges

Donald Trump Jr.'s emails have Democrats giddy.
Could this be the item they are looking for?
Doubtful.
But it won't keep Democrats from pushing it.

Seasons are changing

Today is the Baseball Home Run Derby, part of the All-Star festivities that mark halfway through the season.
Other signs point to baseball's time ending.
A friend posted on Facebook, asking high school football coaches about their preseason media days.
And the American Hockey League released its schedule for home openers.
Summer feels like it just started, and already fall sports are making noise about their turns.

Propel pipeline and punish Putin

Augusta County has many signs against a proposed natural gas pipeline through our area.
How will it benefit us, the critics say.
President Trump provided the answer in Poland this week.
More energy exported from the United States helps other countries in Eastern Europe that now depend on Russian oil and gas.
The more oil and gas we produce, the more we have available to sell to other countries in the export market.
Putin and Russia lose their strangehold on Eastern Europe.
The rest of Europe gets a boost also.
What's the fastest way to get natural gas to Europe?
Through the port at Hampton Roads.
We already have big piles of coal at the water's edge going that way.
A plant to process natural gas - arriving from West Virginia via Augusta County - would help Eastern Europe and hurt Russia.

Look me up at my Gettysburg Address

Remember when Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam handled North/South relations?

Recycling update

Aluminum cans are worth more again - up five cents since the last visit in April.

Good to see 50 cents a pound now.

Saturday song

Bruce Hornsby goes down the Valley Road this morning.

Facebook quote of the week

Somebody forgets where she claims to have come from...just a poor, single mom, down on her luck, with a ratty old typewriter. Now she's new, mouthy, trash rich and thinks she has some kind of voice. Methinks ol' JK's been swigging from the Hollywood fountain.

The fate of statues

Charlottesville has spent plenty of time this year talking about statues.
Statues of Confederate heroes who have graced the scene for many years.
Should we ask the purpose of these statues?
For most, like this one of Jefferson Davis in Memphis, the purpose is to give pigeons a place to perch.














And do what pigeons do.
Get the cleaning supplies.

Weekend watchdog

A year after flooding forced the cancellation of the Greenbrier Classic, the resort will host the PGA tour this weekend.
CBS has coverage Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m.
Last year's flood - two weeks before the tournament was scheduled - covered the resort's golf courses in water and debris. Restoring the Old White course means the PGA tour pros will be playing a different type course than the last visit two years ago.
The Orioles visit the Twins for the weekend, with games on MASN2 Friday and Sunday and MASN Saturday at 2 p.m.
The Nationals host the Braves, with coverage on MASN Friday, moving to MASN2 Saturday at 4 p.m. before the series finale airs on MASN.
Fox brings three contests Saturday at 7:15 p.m., with the Royals visiting the Dodgers while the Cubs host the Pirates and the Tigers take on the Indians.
FoxSports1 offers the Diamondbacks against the Reds Saturday at 10 p.m., and ESPN closes the first half of the season by showing the Tigers and Indians.
Coverage of Wimbledon's second round continues Friday at 7 a.m. and Saturday at 7 a.m. on ESPN.
NASCAR visits Kentucky, with the Monster Series going Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on NBC Sports network. The Xfinity Series takes the track Friday at 8 p.m.
The Indy Car circuit will be in Iowa Sunday at 5:30 p.m. on NBC Sports network, after qualifying Saturday at 3 p.m.
NBC Sports network has qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix Saturday at 8 a.m.
The Tour de France continues on NBC Sports network with Stage 7 Friday at 8 a.m. and Stage 9 Sunday at 7 a.m.
The United States meets Japan Friday at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN2. It's United States against Puerto Rico Saturday at 2 p.m. on ESPN2 before the United States takes on Australia at 8 p.m. There's another contest Sunday at 1 p.m. on ESPN.
There's NBA Summer League action between the Clippers and Lakers Friday at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN. ESPN2 has the Bucks and Cavaliers Friday at 6:30 p.m., then it's Suns-Kings at 10:30 p.m.
The Lakers take on the Celtics Saturday at 8:30 p.m., followed by 76ers-Warriors on ESPN. Sunday's play starts at 4:30 p.m. on ESPN with the Suns against the Mavericks, followed by three games on ESPN2. The Timberwolves take on the Nuggets at 6:30 p.m., then it's Trailblazers-Celtics and 76ers meeting the Spurs.
Comcast has an NBA Summer League game between the Wizards and Grizzlies Saturday at 4 p.m.
North of the border, Hamilton takes on Saskatchewan Saturday at 10 p.m. on ESPN2.

Pole position

Donald Trump gave a great speech in Poland Thursday.
But the best part came about three-quarters of the way through.  After reminding his audience about the million people who gathered to hear John Paul II celebrate Mass in 1979, he asked: what did the people want? Answer: “We want God.” This led into the heart of Trump’s speech.  The prerequisite for the success of Western civilization is not material riches. Economic prosperity and military might on their own are not sufficient. The critical leaven is the confidence in core Western values: such things as free speech, the equality of women, respect for individual rights, the rule of law, the affirmation of faith and family.
The Polish people are pretty smart.

I am HanA******Solo

Don Surber has the roundup of the next people CNN will have to go after.
Reminds me of the movie Spartacus.
They want to take Spartacus away.
Everyone in the crowd answers "I am Spartacus."
How many people can CNN fight at one time?

Planning your fireworks viewing

It's always cool to watch fireworks outside - except for the heat and mosquitos.
But if you can't get out, there's some fireworks to watch on your TV.
PBS has the Capital Fourth starting at 8 p.m. and a repeat starting at 9:30 p.m.
NBC carries the Macy's fireworks from 8-10, with a repeat of the action from 10-11.
The Boston Pops have moved to Bloomberg TV for a three-year contract, starting at 9 p.m.
Since days last longer at higher latitudes when summer starts, you can get Washington live.
Then move to New York and finish with live fireworks - and the cannons of the 1812 Overture - around 10:30 p.m.

Thoughts for the Fourth

DaTech Guy examines the second verse of America the Beautiful.
Confirm thy soul in self-control, Reminds us that self control for a country, like for a person strengthens one’s soul. The ability to act with calm deliberation when others are in panic is what a leader and a great nation and great people do.

Travels to 20

My oldest turns 20 this week, so we had dinner in downtown Charlottesville tonight.
I celebrated by taking four roads that didn't exist when he was born 20 years ago.

• Lewis and Clark Dr., where I work.
• Berkmar Drive extended, which opened this weekend.
• The Rio Road overpass on Rt. 29
• John Warner parkway.

Lots of things have changed in 20 years.

Lessons from the beard

In April, I decided to start growing a beard.
Both of my younger brothers had beards at the time, and I wanted to see how mine would come in.
They both had white beards that made them look like Santa Claus.
Not me.
Areas of grey, but also areas of my natural color.
After a while, I decided to keep it until my beach trip.
I wanted to be the Old Man and the Sea.

I have had some nice comments on having a beard.
Makes you look more distinguished, like a professor my mom said.
My wife hates it though.
I ask her, how can I make it better.
Shave it off is the reply.
Thus the lesson of the beard answers the question about why President Trump tweets as he does.
He likes it.
It's a part of him.
Would a trim of his Twitter output satisfy his foes?
No.
Cut the whole thing off.
Like Samson and his hair, Trump feels he gains power from his tweets.
His thoughts are there for his supporters and opponents to see.
Trump wouldn't be Trump without his twitter feed.
I don't look for Trump to trim his twitter anytime soon.
After today's WrestleMania tweet, I hope it's obvious where he stands on the matter.
He's the President and you're not.
But like a showman, how's he going to top this tweet?

If Trump changed, would everyone else?

The discussion of President Trump's tweets often moves from "not presidential" to "preventing his agenda from being discussed."
Critics imagine how much could be done if President Trump didn't divert the discussion into the Twitter gutter.
He could even bring Democrats and Republicans together.
I doubt it.
We've seen a few times where Trump acted like people think a president should - his speech to Congress in February and his first overseas trip.
Immediately, any hint of praise for the presidential Trump got met with a chorus of anger - how can you normalize him?
You can keep dreaming of the lovely things that would happen if President Trump reduced his tweet output.
I doubt reality would match up.

Facebook quote of the week

I like this feature where it brings up memories.

Saturday song

Get ready for the Fourth of July with Toby Keith.

Chasing the sun

Mental Floss tells of preparation for the Great American Eclipse on August 21.
Especially Hopkinsville, Kentucky, the town closest to the place where the total eclipse will last the longest.
The town, which expects visitors from across the U.S. as well as from as far as Germany, Brazil, and Japan, has hired a full-time eclipse coordinator. They've requested 85 National Guard and a handful of state police be on hand to help control traffic on the two-lane highways lacing the countryside. They've advised locals to avoid eating out on the days before the eclipse to ease the food crunch, and they've hired at least 50 food vendors to set up shop downtown (50 more vendors will be located at different spots around the county). Officials have encouraged locals to acquire temporary health and safety licenses to hawk snacks.